The One-and-done Cop Sneakers Manually Guide!

Let’s face it, copping limited-edition releases is HARD. Especially if you’re not using a sneaker bot. With the increasing number of sneakerheads and the excessive use of sneaker bots, you might think that you don’t stand a chance at copping your favorite sneakers. But it doesn’t have to be that way! With the right research and preparation, you’ll be able to raise your chances. Of getting your hands on some limited-edition sneakers, that is. This guide will be your one-stop to cop sneakers manually! Let’s get started.

The Challenges of Manual Copping

First, let’s see why copping sneakers manually is a hassle nowadays. For starters, sneakers are not a niche anymore. As of 2023, there are hundreds of thousands of sneakerheads going for the same pair of sneakers as you are. Sneakers basically became mainstream. Chances are, you’re not the only one eyeing those Yeezy slides. 

The thing with the sneaker industry is that most of the time, supply does not match the demand. On one hand, the limited stocks make these releases highly sought-after and difficult to obtain. On the other hand, the hype surrounding exclusive sneakers creates intense demand, increasing the difficulty to secure a pair. 

Add to that the fast sell-outs, website traffic and crashes, and the long and never-ending virtual queues. You see, if you want to cop sneakers manually, it’s quite challenging. However, the biggest challenge of them all is sneaker botting. 

Manual vs. Bot Copping

Sneaker bots are automated software programs designed to perform tasks quickly without the need for human interaction. Let’s say you want to cop sneakers manually, by the time you navigated through the website, refreshed, passed the captcha test, and filled out your billing info, a sneaker bot would have already beat you to it. 

Sneaker bots can add sneakers to the cart, auto-fill information, and complete purchases in a matter of seconds. Although sneaker websites deploy anti-bot security measures, some bots can bypass them, which increases the chances of a successful purchase. 

Although it sounds like cheating, sneaker bots are actually a great way to cop sneakers in bulk for retail. However, if you feel like giving up on copping sneakers manually. Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered! 

How to Cop Sneakers Manually? 

If you are just starting your sneaker-copping journey, we’re here to help. As you can tell by previous statements, sneaker copping is hard, especially when you don’t use a sneaker bot. This is why we’ll go with you step by step on how to cop sneakers manually! 

• • Find a Release: The first step is, of course, finding an upcoming release that grabs your attention. There are plenty of sites that offer information about releases such as Solelinks or Kicks on Fire. 

• Set a Reminder: Mark the release date on your calendar or set up an alarm on your phone so you don’t miss it.

• • Be Early: As they say, the early bird gets the worm. Log in and be on the retailer’s website before the scheduled release time.
  • Check your Internet Connection: Make sure you have a reliable and fast internet connection to avoid delays during checkouts. 
  • Refresh: Keep refreshing the website in a chance to catch the release a few seconds early.

• Add to Cart: Once the sneakers are available, quickly add your desired pair to the cart after choosing the right size. 

• Proceed to Checkout: Go to the checkout page and enter your payment information accurately. 

• Wait for Confirmation: After submitting the payment, wait to see if your purchase was successful. You should receive a confirmation page or email. 

However, you should prepare yourself for failure. Remember that copping sneakers manually is a challenge as you are competing with thousands of sneakerheads and sneaker bots.

Where to Cop Sneakers? 

Here are some of the main websites where you can cop limited-edition sneakers. 

• Official Retailer Websites: Most famous shoe brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma release their limited editions on their official websites. For example Nike SNKRS, Adidas Confirmed, and Puma’s website. 
• Retail Stores: Some limited-edition sneakers are available in physical retail stores such as Foot Locker, Champ Sports, and Finish Line. 

• Online Marketplaces: If you don’t catch the releases on time, all resellers list their sneakers on online marketplaces such as StockX, GOAT, Fight Club, or eBay. However, prices on these marketplaces are significantly higher than the original retail price. Therefore, you might, at these times reconsider running a sneaker bot.

Tips to Cop Sneakers Manually 

If you want to cop sneakers manually, there’s more to do than check out sneaker websites. You have to be fast and ready to participate in a fierce and ugly competition between you, thousands of sneakerheads, AND the sneaker-grabbing bots! We’ve gathered some great tips for you to increase your chances of catching some Ws. 

Research Like Your Life Depends on It

First, you have to know your enemy, or in this case, sneaker stores. Going blindly into a sneaker website on release day is like signing your death letter. You have to take at least some time to make yourself familiar with the store’s layout and checkout process. Especially if it’s a website that you’ve never ordered from in the past. 

No one joins a race in an open field, there have to be some pointers. And if you want to be fast at copping your favorite pairs of sneakers, you have to know the position of certain buttons and where you pick the shoe size. Remember that you are copping sneakers manually, and bots are FAST.  Limited-edition sneakers only give you a limited timeframe, and it can get overwhelming if you’re not familiar with the checkout process. 

Also, it’s wise to join a sneaker cookgroup even if you’re copping sneakers manually. You’ll find a ton of information, guides, and tips and tricks to get your favorite kicks. Basically, it’s a gathering of expert sneakerheads and resellers that are more than happy to share their experience with you. Moreover, it should be a no-brainer for you to keep an eye on sneaker news websites as they got everything you NEED TO KNOW, about every release you wish to cop.

Search by Style Code, not Name

Some sneakers you have to manually search for on the website instead of accessing the product through a link. Popular brands tend to give their sneakers a specific code style code or model number. If you search using the name of the sneakers, you might be in some hard luck. Sneaker names sometimes don’t appear on websites, but the style codes lead you directly to the product page. 

Keep in mind that some people sell early links to non-TLO releases. These will just slow you down as you figure out that they’re fake. As long as you have the sneaker’s style code you’re good to go. 

One Word, Autofill

One of the things that can slow you down during checkout is the tedious effort to fill out your payment information. Although some websites like Nike, Concepts, and Kith hold your items once you’ve added them to the cart, some stores like Supreme and Footlocker don’t. This creates more pressure on the user not only to race to add the item to the cart but also to race at checkouts. 

This is how it is when you want to cop sneakers manually. Bots on the other hand fill out the billing information in a matter of seconds. But don’t worry, you can cheat the system also! You can simply use the built-in autofill feature on Google Chrome. This way, you can store your credit card information and all your billing addresses beforehand and fill them out with a click of a button!  

Twitter Is Your Best Friend

Following the right people on Twitter can give you an extra push when trying to cop sneakers manually. For instance, it’s not enough to follow only brands and shoe stores, it’s wise to follow store owners, managers, and PR personnel. These accounts can keep you in the loop in regard to releases. 

In addition, you should always enable your Twitter notifications on your mobile device for your favorite sneaker stores. Even if there isn’t an upcoming release, getting early notifications can help you cop sneakers that are randomly announced. You can also get notifications from several accounts about restocks and deals. 

If You Don’t Like Bots, Try Proxies

Proxies are a great way to raise your chances of copping sneakers manually. Although you hear the word proxy when someone mentions sneaker bots, hear me out, you can use proxies to manually cop sneakers! 

If you want to increase your chances of copping the most anticipated releases, you can do it by trying to cop MORE than one pair of sneakers! Most limited-edition sneakers are restricted to one purchase per account based on your location, however, proxies mask your real IP address and trick the website into thinking that you are in a different location! 

In addition, some releases are region-specific which means that they can only be available in certain locations. Proxies can help you access websites as if you are browsing from a particular region, increasing your chances of purchasing region-specific releases. 

Is Copping Sneakers Manually Efficient? 

If you want to cop sneakers manually, you have to remember that manual copping can be challenging due to intense competition, website crashes, and limited stock. We can’t sugar coat it, your chances of manual wins are low, and sneaker bots do have an upper hand.  

Bots have an advantage in speed and efficiency, but manual attempts can be rewarding for some. Be prepared, use multiple devices, multiple cards, proxies when needed, do your research, have a fast internet connection, and be persistent. Success is not guaranteed, but a strategic and patient approach can improve your chances!